Stewart Bronco Bound

The highly touted quarterback prospect stepped foot on many campuses during his recruitment, yet the Bronco campus was the right fit for him.

On Thursday, Stewart confirmed to the Sturgis Journal that he has verbally committed to Western Michigan University.

"It just was a perfect fit," Stewart said. "I enjoy every thing about Western Michigan and now knowing my family and friends will be able to see me play close by made it even better."

Stewart had originally committed to play for Bret Bielema and the Wisconsin Badgers last August. Yet, Bielema bolted Madison and the Badgers to be the new head coach at the University of Arkansas in early December.

Stewart said he was still fully behind his decision to play a Wisconsin when Bielema left, but just a few months later he made the decision to open his recruitment back up again.

He attended Western's practice this morning and didn't wait long to make the news. Stewart said the original plan was to wait until mid-May or so before deciding, but he really didn't want to wait any longer.

"Lately I've been thinking a lot about it and just knew that Western was the place for me," he said. "I just didn't want to waste any other coaches' time by visiting (other schools) if I already knew Western was it."

Playing close to home will be fun, Stewart said, but it wasn't the biggest reason he chose Western.

"It wasn't a huge part of it, but yes it is nice knowing my family will be able to make every home game," he said.

Stewart, one of a handful of commits for Western's 2014 class according to several recruiting websites, is the highest ranked player to commit to the Broncos. He holds a Rivals250 ranking as one of the best 250 players in the country (ranked No. 215) and Western has not been able to get a player of that caliber in the Rivals.com era.

Yet, Stewart had the perfect response when asked what that label meant to him.

"Ha, that's only a number," he said. "Yeah, it's cool to know, but you have to perform now."

Stewart will lead the Trojans onto the football field again this fall looking to get to the playoffs for the second time in four seasons.

The junior third baseman for the baseball team said he was happy to have made a decision much earlier than expected.

"Yes, a huge relief," he said in response to the decision being made public. "I'm glad it's over and now I get to concentrate on baseball and preparing for my senior year of football."

Western football coach P.J. Fleck is the youngest head coach in Division I football and became the first coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to have been born in the 1980s.

Stewart said Fleck played a major role in picking the Broncos.

"Coach Fleck was a huge part of it," he said. "The passion for football and work ethic he has is incredible. When you know your coach will bust his butt that hard it's an easy decision for you."